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(for it was not possible for those who had recently gone over to the Persians by necessity to still abide by the agreements with them, when the forces appeared) they received him with upturned hands and were conspicuous by their fervent repentance, showing their displeasure at the necessary fate of their defection to the enemy; but he, in appearance, forgave the offenses of the others, but was severe towards those who seemed to be pre-eminent among the rest. Whence he also beheaded the guard of the small city, and having punished others in other ways, he condemned even an elder, the leader of the rest, to the penalty of hanging. But as it was not possible for him, while being hanged, to give up his breath necessarily at once, one of those appointed for this, considering what was happening a divine sign, whether he had been ordered or not, cut the noose with a knife and rescued the condemned man from danger. Then he attacked Philadelphia, and collected many thousands of gold from there, bearing a relentless disposition in all things. Afterwards he did similar things to Pyrgion and Ephesus, and for those who had fled the revolt, as the saying goes, having fled the smoke he kindled the fire of temptations. And he who gave the most was barely saved after many tortures. These things were also done on the islands of Chios, Lemnos, and Mitylene. And 437 wherever there was a whisper of gold, whether he were a monk or of a holy order or one of the emperor's associates and acquaintances, he was examined with terrible tortures of suspension, and the death threatened before his eyes with a butcher's block and knife would immediately dig up and reveal even the things hidden in the recesses of the earth. Therefore, the one who gave was thereupon set free by the truly delivering power of gold, but the one who did not have it had death as his fine. Which indeed happened to the wretched Machrames in Mitylene. For this man, being one of the most eminent of the imperial servants and renowned for his familiarity with the emperor, held his dwellings along the Scamander. But when the Persians had already occupied the whole region there around Ida, it happened to be deserted by its inhabitants, he also managed, along with many others, to slip into the fortress of Assos; to whom indeed, as being more worthy, the people there entrusted both themselves and the fortress, since they needed a leader, as is likely in such times of crisis. And he undertook the leadership, as they gave it unofficially, as far as came from the prevailing situation. Nevertheless, even so, he was not neglectful of providing for each matter, and for a considerable time he busied himself and held together those garrisoned there. But when the outer areas were being ravaged and the hardships were finally about to surround them, having no noble deed to perform if they were to wait, they rushed to flee and began to depart, as 438 Mitylene stretched out its arms to them, as also to many others from nearby, and each man, looking to his own interests, disregarded the leader and was released from his voluntary submission; at which, having no means to oppose them, since the multitude, as was likely, prevailed, he too decided to depart with them, and thereupon the fortress was left empty. But after some days the megas doux put in at the island, and it was entirely necessary for accusations for the purpose of raising funds, some to be found and others to be fabricated. Along with many others, this man also was caught on the wheel. And all the others found one solution to their trouble: to offer abundant gold. And another man who had previously managed public funds was made to pay the profits from them, especially in the thousands. But for him, the penalty of death was added on account of the abandonment of the fortress. But if he wished to buy his life, the payment was set at five thousands of gold. But the fine for Machrames had come down even to as low as one hundred. So when those who did not have it seemed slow in their payment, at that very hour he ordered that the one, Machrames, be beheaded in the sight of the other, and the butcher's block and sword were immediately ready for the execution; for having been bound by the hair of his head with thongs, and then having been stretched out on the block and pressed down firmly, so that the vertebrae of his neck were 439 dislocated from their natural joint, thus wretchedly he also received the cut. And for the other who saw what happened, it was as if some Gorgon had petrified the poor man, and he weeps bitterly, and

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(οὐδὲ γὰρ ἦν χθὲς καὶ πρὸ τρίτης προσχωρήσαντας κατ' ἀνάγκην Πέρσαις ταῖς πρὸς ἐκείνοις ὁμολογίαις καὶ ἔτι ἐμμένειν, φανεισῶν τῶν δυνάμεων) ὑπτίαις δέχονται ταῖς χερσὶ καὶ θερμαῖς μεταγνώσεσιν ἐμφανεῖς ἦσαν τὴν ἀναγκαίαν δυσχεραίνοντες μοῖραν τῆς πρὸς τοὺς ἐχθροὺς προσχωρήσεως· ὁ δὲ τοῖς μὲν ἄλλοις τῷ δοκεῖν ἀνίει τὰ πταίσματα, τοῖς δὲ δόξασι τῶν λοιπῶν προέχειν βαρέως εἶχεν. ὅθεν καὶ τὸν μὲν φύλακα τοῦ πολίσματος ἀφαιρεῖται τῆς κεφα λῆς, ἄλλους δ' ἄλλως τιμωρησάμενος ποινὴν ἀγχόνης καὶ πρεσ βυτέρου τοῦ τῶν λοιπῶν ἐξάρχου καταψηφίζεται. ὡς δ' οὐκ ἦν αἰωρουμένῳ οἱ ἀπερυγεῖν ἀναγκαίως αὐτίκα καὶ τὴν πνοήν, τῶν τις ἐπὶ τούτοις ἐπιτεταγμένων, θείαν ἔνδειξιν ἡγησάμενος τὸ τε λούμενον, εἴτε προσταχθὲν εἴτε καὶ μή, κοπίδι τέμνει τὸν βρό χον καὶ τοῦ κινδύνου τὸν κατάδικον ἐξαιρεῖται. εἶτα Φιλαδελ φείᾳ προσβάλλει, καὶ χιλιάδας συχνὰς ἐκεῖθεν ἐκλέγει χρυσίου, ἀδυσώπητον ἐπὶ πᾶσι φέρων τὸ φρόνημα. ἔπειτα τὰ ὅμοια δρᾷ Πυργίον καὶ Ἔφεσον, καὶ τὸν τῆς ἀπαναστάσεως φυγοῦσι, τὸ τοῦ λόγου, καπνὸν τὸ πῦρ ὑπανῆπτε τῶν πειρασμῶν. καὶ ὁ δι δοὺς πλεῖστα μετὰ πολλὰς βασάνους μόλις ἐσώζετο. ταῦτα κἀν ταῖς νήσοις Χίῳ καὶ Λήμνῳ καὶ Μιτυλήνῃ ἐπράττοντο. καὶ 437 ὅπου ῥοῖζος χρυσίου, κἂν μοναχὸς ἦν κἂν τάξεως ἱερᾶς κἂν τῶν ἐπιτηδείων καὶ γνωστῶν βασιλεῖ, δειναῖς αἰώραις ἠτάζετο, καὶ ὁ μακελλικῷ φιτρῷ καὶ κοπίδι πρὸ ὀφθαλμῶν ἀπειλούμενος θά νατος καὶ τὰ ἐν μυχοῖς γῆς κρυπτόμενα ἐκ τοῦ παρασχεδὸν ἀνώ ρυττε καὶ ἐδείκνυ. ὁ μὲν οὖν διδοὺς ἐντεῦθεν ἠλευθεροῦτο τῇ τοῦ χρυσοῦ ὡς ἀληθῶς ἐτυμότητι, ὁ δὲ μὴ ἔχων πρόστιμον εἶχε τὸν θάνατον. ὃ δὴ καὶ τῷ ταλαιπώρῳ Μαχράμῃ κατὰ τὴν Μι τυλήνην γεγόνει. οὗτος γὰρ ἐν τοῖς μάλιστα τῶν βασιλικῶν ὑπη ρετῶν ὢν καὶ τῇ οἰκειότητι κλεϊζόμενος τὰς οἰκήσεις κατεῖχεν ἀνὰ τὸν Σκάμανδρον. ὡς δὲ πᾶσαν τὴν ἐκεῖ χώραν προκαταλαβόν των τὴν Ἴδην Περσῶν ἐρημοῦσθαι τῶν οἰκητόρων ξυνέβαινε, φθάνει καὶ αὐτὸς σὺν πολλοῖς ἄλλοις τὸ τῆς Ἄσου φρούριον ὑπεισδῦναι· ᾧ δὴ καὶ ὡς ἀξιωτέρῳ οἱ ἐκεῖ τῶν ὅλων, ἐπεὶ καὶ τοῦ ἐξηγουμένου ὡς εἰκὸς ἐν τοιούτοις καιροῖς περιστάσεως ἔχρῃ ζον, αὐτούς τε καὶ τὸ φρούριον ἐγχειρίζουσιν. ὁ δὲ ὑφίσταται τὴν ἡγεμονίαν διδόντων ἐκείνων ἀνεπισημάντως ὅσον ἐκ τοῦ κρα τοῦντος. ὅμως καὶ οὕτως ἔχων οὐκ ἐρραθύμει τῆς ἐφ' ἑκάστῳ προνοίας, καὶ ἐφ' ἱκανὸν ἀμφεπονεῖτο καὶ συνεῖχε τοὺς τῇδε πυρ γηρουμένους. ἐπεὶ δὲ δηουμένων τῶν ἐξωτέρων τέλος αὐτοὺς ἔμελλε περιστῆναι τὰ χαλεπά, τὸ δρᾶσαί τι γενναῖον οὐκ ἔχοντες εἰ προσμένοιεν, πρὸς φυγὴν ὥρμων καὶ προαπανίσταντο, ἀγκά 438 λας σφίσιν ὡς καὶ πολλοῖς ἑτέροις ἐξ ἐγγίονος προτεινούσης τῆς Μιτυλήνης, καὶ τὸ καθ' αὑτὸν σκοπῶν ἕκαστος ἠλόγει τοῦ ἄγον τος καὶ τῆς ἑκουσίου ἀνεῖτο ὑποταγῆς· ἐφ' οἷς μηδὲν ἔχων ἀντι πράττειν, τοῦ πλήθους ὡς εἰκὸς δυναστεύσαντος, συναπαίρειν ἔγνω κἀκεῖνος, καὶ κενὸν ἐντεῦθεν τὸ φρούριον καταλέλειπτο. ἀλλὰ μεθ' ἡμέρας ὁ μέγας δοὺξ προσίσχει τῇ νήσῳ, καὶ ἔδει πάντως αἰτίας τῶν πορισμῶν τὰς μὲν εὑρίσκεσθαι τὰς δὲ πλάτ τεσθαι. σὺν ἄλλοις πολλοῖς καὶ οὗτος τῷ τροχῷ συλλαμβάνεται. οἱ δὲ ἄλλοι πάντες μίαν τὴν τοῦ κακοῦ λύσιν, εἰ προτείνοιεν ἁβρὸν τὸ χρυσίον. καί τις δὲ ἄλλος ὃς προενηργηκὼς δημόσια τὰ ἐξ ἐκείνων κέρδη ἐν χιλιάσι καὶ μάλιστα εἰσεπράττετο. τῷ δὲ προσετιμᾶτο θανάτου διὰ τὴν τοῦ φρουρίου κατάλειψιν. εἰ δ' ὠνεῖσθαι βούλοιτο τὴν ζωήν, εἰς χρυσίου χιλιοστύας πέντε ἡ ἔκτισις ἵστατο. κατηντήκει δὲ καὶ ποινὴ μέχρι καὶ ἑκατοστύος μιᾶς τῷ Μαχράμῃ. ὡς γοῦν βραδεῖς ἐφαίνοντο οἱ μὴ ἔχοντες περὶ τὴν ἀπόδοσιν, αὐτῆς ὥρας προστάσσει ἐπ' ὄψει θατέρου καρατομεῖσθαι θάτερον τὸν Μαχράμην, καὶ ὁ μακελλικὸς φιτρὸς παρευθὺς καὶ τὸ ξίφος ἕτοιμον εἰς ἀναίρεσιν· τὰς γὰρ τῆς κεφα λῆς τρίχας ἱμᾶσι δεθείς, εἶτα δ' ἐκταθεὶς ἐπὶ τοῦ φιτροῦ καὶ καρτερῶς πιεσθείς, ὥστε καὶ τοὺς σπονδύλους τοῦ τραχήλου ἐκ 439 λυθῆναι τῆς φυσικῆς ἁρμογῆς, οὕτως ἀθλίως καὶ τὴν τομὴν δέ χεται. καὶ τὸ συμβὰν θατέρῳ θεασαμένῳ Γοργώ τις ἦν ἀπολι σθοῦσα τὸν δείλαιον, καὶ πικρὸν κλαίει, καὶ